Revelation, 23 February 1831 [D&C
42:74–93]

A binding agreement between two parties, particularly between God and man. The term covenant was often associated with “commandments,” referring to revelation texts. The gospel as preached by JS—including the need for faith, repentance, baptism, and reception...

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

and it shall come to pass that if any person among you shall
kill they shall be delivered up and dealt with according to the Laws of the land
for remember that he hath no forgiveness and it shall be proven according to
the Laws of the land but if any man shall commit Adultery he Shall be tried
before two Elders

A male leader in the church generally; an ecclesiastical and priesthood office or one holding that office; a proselytizing missionary. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto...

of
the Church or more and every word shall be established against him by two
witnesses of the Church and not of the world but if there are more than two
witnesses it is better but he shall be condemned by the mouth of two witnesses
and the Elders shall lay the case before the Church and the Church shall
lift up their hands against them that they may be
dealt with according to the Law and if it can be
it is necessary that the Bishop

An ecclesiastical and priesthood office. JS appointed Edward Partridge as the first bishop in February 1831. Following this appointment, Partridge functioned as the local leader of the church in Missouri. Later revelations described a bishop’s duties as receiving...

and if a man shall rob he shall be delivered up unto the Law and if he
shall steal he shall be delivered up unto the Law and if he lie he shall be
delivered up unto the Law if he do any manner of iniquity he shall be
delivered up unto the Law even that of God and if thy Brother offend thee,
thou shalt take him between him and thee alone and if he confess thou shalt
be reconciled and if he confess not thou shalt take another with thee and
then if he confess not thou Shalt deliver him up unto the Church not to the
members but to the Elders and it shall be done in a meeting and that not
before the world4

See Matthew 18:15–17.

and
if thy Brother offend many he shall be chastened before many and if any one
offend openly he shall be rebuked openly that he may be ashamed5

See 1 Timothy 5:20.

and if he
confess not he Shall be delivered up unto the law, if any shall offend in
secret he shall be rebuked in Secret
that he may have oportunity to confess in Secret to him
whome
[p. [7]]

A binding agreement between two parties, particularly between God and man. The term covenant was often associated with “commandments,” referring to revelation texts. The gospel as preached by JS—including the need for faith, repentance, baptism, and reception...

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

and it shall come to pass that if any person among you shall
kill they shall be delivered up and dealt with according to the Laws of the land
for remember that he hath no forgiveness and it shall be proven according to
the Laws of the land but if any man shall commit Adultery he Shall be tried
before two Elders

A male leader in the church generally; an ecclesiastical and priesthood office or one holding that office; a proselytizing missionary. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto...

of
the Church or more and every word shall be established against him by two
witnesses of the Church and not of the world but if there are more than two
witnesses it is better but he shall be condemned by the mouth of two witnesses
and the Elders shall lay the case before the Church and the Church shall
lift up their hands against them that they may be dealtdealt with according to <the> Law and if it can be
it is necessary that the Bishop

An ecclesiastical and priesthood office. JS appointed Edward Partridge as the first bishop in February 1831. Following this appointment, Partridge functioned as the local leader of the church in Missouri. Later revelations described a bishop’s duties as receiving...

and if an man shall rob he shall be delivered up unto the Law and if he
shall steal he shall be delivered up unto the Law and if he lie he shall be
delivered up unto the Law if he do any manner of iniquity he shall be
delivered up unto the Law even that of God and if thy Brother offend thee,
thou shalt take him between him and thee alone and if he confess thou shalt
be reconciled and if he confess not thou shalt take another with thee and
then if he confess not thou Shalt deliver him up unto the Church not to the
members but to the Elders and it shall be done in a meeting and that not
before the world4

See Matthew 18:15–17.

and
if thy Brother offend many he shall be chastened before many and if any one
offend openly he shall be rebuked openly that he may be ashamed5

See 1 Timothy 5:20.

and if he
confess not he Shall be delivered up unto the law, if any shall offend in
secret he shall be rebuked in Secret the
<that he> may have oportunity to confess in Secret to him
whome he
[p. [7]]

18 May 1783–10 July 1875. Farmer. Born at Easton, Albany Co., New York. Son of Nathan Harris and Rhoda Lapham. Moved with parents to area of Swift’s landing (later in Palmyra), Ontario Co., New York, 1793. Married first his first cousin Lucy Harris, 27 Mar...

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

” that JS had dictated 9 February: “We have received the laws of the Kingdom
since we came here and the Disciples

Generally, a follower of Jesus Christ, and in certain cases, one selected to lead the ministry. In the New Testament, Christ ordained twelve of his disciples as apostles. The Book of Mormon recounted that during his ministry to the Nephites, Christ similarly...

The next day, 23 February, JS and seven elders met to determine
“how the Elders

A male leader in the church generally; an ecclesiastical and priesthood office or one holding that office; a proselytizing missionary. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto...

of
the church of Christ are to act upon the points of the Law,” and the following revelation was
recorded. In providing detailed guidance on how to discipline serious transgressors
of the moral law, the revelation significantly elaborated on the few lines offered
on the subject in the church’s earlier “Articles and Covenants.”2

Early members evidently saw the
23 February revelation as building upon the
9 February
revelation, also
known as “the Law,” by expanding on the guidelines it provided. After this
revelation was dictated, “the Law” comprised eight sections in all, five received on
9 February and three on 23 February. Of the earliest extant copies of the
Law, only the Symonds Rider

copy, the version featured here, includes all eight sections;
it separates the 9 February revelation from the 23 February revelation by including
the date and an introductory heading between the fifth and sixth sections. The
version found in Revelation Book 1 includes the first five sections, dictated 9 February, as
well as a loose leaf containing only the eighth section, or final paragraph, of the
23 February dictation.3

Revelation Book 1, pp.
62–67. A manuscript in Sidney
Gilbert’s handwriting and one in Zebedee Coltrin’s both include only
the first five parts. An early newspaper version includes only the first two
parts. A manuscript in Orson Hyde’s hand includes parts two through four as well
as parts seven and eight. (Gilbert, Notebook, [13]–[23]; Coltrin, Diary, [11]–[18]; “Secret Bye Laws of the
Mormonites,” Western Courier [Ravenna, OH], 1 Sept. 1831,
[1]; Hyde and Smith,
Notebook, [12]–[22]; see also Revelation, 9 Feb. 1831 [D&C 42:1–72].)

Some later published versions also exclude the first two paragraphs of the
23 February revelation, possibly because those sections seem to summarize content
found in the first five sections. Textually, only the eighth and final paragraph in
this document employs the divine first-person, which is possibly the reason it was
the only portion of the 23 February revelation to be copied into Revelation Book 1.

Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and 1,000 others; in 1838 about 2,000 Saints and 1,200 others; in 1839 about 100 Saints and 1,500 others. Mormon missionaries visited township...

Each of the two leaves, measuring 7½ × 6½–6¾ inches (19 × 17
cm), has a similar jagged cut on the left edge of the recto. Also running along
the left edge of each recto are eight small holes, likely used for sewing the
booklet together. Based on comparison of the cuts and tears of the pages, these
pages, along with copies of Articles and Covenants, circa April 1830 [D&C 20],
and Revelation, 9
February 1831 [D&C 42:1–72], were part of a notebook of at least
sixteen leaves, likely created by Symonds Rider

According to a letter
filed with the manuscript, this document, with several other manuscript
revelations, was donated to the Church Historian’s Office in the early 1960s
by a descendant of Symonds Rider